INVESTIGADORES
IRIBARNE Oscar Osvaldo
artículos
Título:
Biotic and abiotic factors affect SW Atlantic saltmarsh use by juvenile fishes
Autor/es:
VALIÑAS, M.S., ; M. MOLINA; M. ADDINO; D. I. MONTEMAYOR; E.M. ACHA; O. IRIBARNE
Revista:
JOURNAL OF SEA RESEARCH
Editorial:
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Referencias:
Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2012 vol. 68 p. 49 - 56
ISSN:
1385-1101
Resumen:
Fish habitat use is affected by biotic and environmental factors. These factors do not act in isolation; they
commonly operate together, and can be modified by the presence of habitat structure, like vegetation. We
studied at the Bahia Blanca estuary (38° 52′ S, 62 0°6′ W), the seasonal patterns of fish habitat use in a
Spartina alterniflora saltmarsh and a contiguous tidal flat, and related them with biotic and environmental
factors. The results showed that all fish species contributed to differences in the structure of fish assemblages
between areas. The silverside Odontesthes argentinensis and the menhaden Brevoortia aurea were more
abundant and smaller in size in the saltmarsh. In this area, the structure of fish assemblage was positively correlated
with the structure of benthic community. The latter, was probably related to the high abundance of
the polychaete Laeonereis acuta, the main benthic prey for fishes. Environmental factors that correlated
with the structure of fish assemblages were particulate organic matter and sediment penetrability, both in
the saltmarsh and in the tidal flat. This evidenced that in terms of physical and chemical factors studied,
both areas present similar characteristics for fishes. This work highlights that saltmarshes in southern
hemisphere provide both protection and food resources for fishes, and give support to the notion of
saltmarshes as important fish habitat worldwide.